We dreamers see things others don’t. In the midst of a messy cultural construction site, we envision beautiful spaces where people thrive and invention blossoms.
To bring culture shift, we do our best to support change in processes and in people… but sometimes we don’t get to finish what we start.
When you “leave the building,” what kind of craftsmen and -women remain behind to carry the vision forward? Have you developed local leaders, confidently bringing the required people-craft, influence-craft and tech-craft to this place? In what state do they find themselves, as you walk away?
In fact, how are you feeling, as you walk away? Optimistic? Excited to see what will grow there? Or depleted, distracted, and intent on doing it differently, next time?
When I was an agile process improvement coach, I, asked myself these questions, but the methods I used didn’t provide adequate answers. I hunted, and found the missing skillset in another discipline. For twenty years professional coaching has been developing ways to support personal and organisational change, and its powerful “no-fixing” ways are ripe for use by we who create change in any field: corporate or non-profit, personal or social or familial.
Now, as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, I help change leaders, like you and your client partners, to experience and apply the deep lessons of the coaching stance. I offer customised one-on-one phone coaching, and on-site or virtual skill workshops, to grow powerful leaders, who shift culture, not by command, but by skillfully creating and holding space for real change. I help both formal and informal leaders, managers and coaches to (re-) discover their own deep values and make more resonant choices, for greater personal effectiveness.
And here’s why: I know from experience that the work of culture-shifting can be slow or unpredictable; you can find yourself “way out front,” seeing possibilities no-one else sees… and in need of support, encouragement and feedback, but with few peers in sight. As an exprienced outsider, I am free to be fully in your corner – mirroring, challenging and cheering your progress. As you and I work together, I model the coaching stance in our interactions, and help you discover your own version of it. Together, we set up experiments that help you practice it in your daily work. Essentially, my job is this: to work myself out of a job, by equipping you to be your most authentic, joyful, and effective self. In my experience, and that of my clients, once that’s in motion, you’ll naturally inspire others and enlist their passion, too.
What if you could do this?
Don’t fall for the “too busy” trap! Discover for yourself some starting points, in my free e-workbook “You can design a bigger game” or, if you prefer to work with a personal coach as a partner, set up a call to see how the synergy of my work and yours can create more satisfaction and success in your world. This work need not take long: the results start right away, and within weeks you’ll be seeing big changes in yourself and your interactions. Together we can develop your ability to create “pull” among those you lead.
On the other hand… forcing change is like “pushing a rope” … disappointing at best, and with the potential to destroy relationships, health and career. As you and your clients/partners develop your own authentic voices, you’ll find yourselves saying “no” to false expectations and ineffective methods, and “yes” to what feels right. In doing so, you’ll model a more joyful, sustainable and effective way to bring change, based on intrinsic motivation, or “pull.”
How would you like to feel about your work? What will you do about that, this week?
I look forward to hearing your success stories,
Deb